The present disclosure generally relates to firearms, and more particularly to firearms in the form of handguns with integral silencers or suppressors that reduce muzzle noise or blast produced by discharging the firearm.
Silencers or suppressors generally comprise multiple combustion gas expansion chambers in which the high pressure gas is allowed to partially expand prior to leaving the firearm. The projectile such as a bullet is propelled through the barrel of the firearm and silencer by the combustion gas. In an unsuppressed discharge firearm, the rapid expansion and depressurization of the high pressure gas at the muzzle end of the barrel produces a loud sound referred to as muzzle blast or noise. The partial pre-expansion of gas inside the silencer acts to reduce muzzle noise which is desirable in some circumstances.
Silencers are typically configured as separate thread-on assemblies having an outer sleeve and internal sound suppression baffling which are screwed onto the muzzle end of the firearm barrel as a completely removable unit. Although some attempts have been made to integrate silencers into handguns such as a pistol, the end result is that these units may tend to be long, bulky, and cumbersome to handle. In addition, these designs may be difficult to disassemble for maintenance and cleaning of the silencer and/or firearm components. Accordingly, such prior integrated silencer designs may adversely affect the balance, aiming, and desired slim profile of the barrel creating a suppressed pistol uncharacteristic in dimensions and appearance from a more conventional pistol.
Improvements in integrally suppressed handguns are needed.